Tire-building apparatus



Patented Oct. 21, 1930 y UNITED STATES PATENT olffrlcli I' JESS .Ap SHIVELY, Aor ARRorLv-OHIO,` AssiefNoR To THE GOODYEAR TIRE aV RUBBER Y GOMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIOV TIRE- BUTLDING APPARATUS.

Application inea December 14,1927". seriarno. 239,943.

' Ihis inventionrelates to tire building ap- 12, designed be rotated at a predetermined speed by means of abelt 13 operatively con` paratus andv it has particular relation to an apparatus of the above designated character which shall be especiallyadapted forapplying breaker strips to tire carcasses.

In accordance with present practice, break er strips are'applied under tension to tire carcasses While the latter are mounted upon rotatedV drums, the speed ofi travel. of the breaker strip materialbeing determined by the peripheral speed'of movement of the drums. In vthe construction of so-calledflat `built tires, which areY originally assembled in a flattened condition and are subsequently expanded to tire form, a breaker strip appliedas above described is subjected to an enormous strain during the tireshaping op eration.- It is, therefore, herein proposed to apply breaker strips to thecarcasses of such tires in a crimped condition in order that the strip Will first straighten itself and then stretch during the shaping of the tire,With` a` resultant decrease in the total amount lof stretch imparted to the breaker strip.

One object of this invention is to provide an apparatusfor applying a fabric strip to a moving body. Y y l Y.

Another objectof the inventionl is to provide an apparatus for applying a breaker Y strip to a tire carcass ina crimped condition.

A further object of the inventionis-topr vide an apparatus of this character which may be advantageously employed as an attachment. for existing forms of tire building machines. y Y

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the disclosure, in which;

Figurel vis a fragmentary side-elevational view illustrating a portion of'a tire building machine With a fabric applying apparatus embodying the features of this invention operatively associated` therewith;

` Figure 2 is a plan vieW illustrating a portion of the device shovvn in Figurer `1.

drawings, a frame 11 of a conventional tire building machine rotatably supports a shaft on a tire carcass 15 comprising a pluralityof superimposed plies assembled inthe usual",

The apparatus for appying a breaker i '.16 to the tire carcass 15, broadlylconsidered,"

comprises a frame 17 integralavith,'or permanently secured in i fixed relation to, the frame 11 `of the tire buildingV machine, a carriage Y 1 18 movably mounted on the Vframe 17, mechas nism for applying a breaker strip to the tire y carcass, indicated generally at 19, and mechanis'm v 21 for supplying and feeding a strip of material to the breakerapplying mechanism.

The frame `1 7 isforined with laterally eX- tending guide flanges 22 'designed to fit Within correspcndinglyshaped grooves formed in the carriage member 18 to permit sliding frame. A threadedrshaft 23,A journalled in provided on one `of its ends Witha hand Wheel -26 to permit manual rotation of the shaft.` shaft 27 journalledin suitable :bearings i. 28 secured to oppositesides of the'carriage 18, has rigidly secured thereto a depending arm 29 pivotally connected at its lower end Y to a threaded block 31 designed to coact With thethreaded shaft to cause movement of the carriage upon rotation of the shaft. bell cranklever, including an operating arm 32V anda depending-arm 33, is rigidly secured 27.v A springfl secured at one endto the mally to maintain the block 31- in rcoacting relation with the shaft 23. It is to benoted `thatdovvnward pressure upon the ,armV 32 f Will cause rotation of the shaft 27 whereupon he block131 will be moved out of engagement With the shaft 23. Upon release of the arm 32 the spring 34 returns the parts to theirV normal positions With the arm 33 in `movement off the carriage relative `to*` the;

yintermediate its ends to one endofthe shaft i i engagement with a step 36 secured to the carriage.

A pair of horizontally extending` brackets 37 are secured adjacent one end of the carriage 18 and rotatably support a shaft 38 which has mounted centrally thereon a fluted roller 39. As shown, the external surface of the roller 39 is formed with longitudinally disposed and radially extending recesses 41 of V-shape which define spaced`teetlr42 designed to engage and carry forward the. fabric strip 16. It will be observed that one face 43 of each tooth is disposed in a plane passing` through the longitudinal axis of the yhaft 38. i

An electric motor 44 mounted adjacent the end of the carriage 18 remote from the roller 37 has a sprocket 45 mounted upon its shaft 46 and serves to drive the roller 39 through the agency of a chain 47 trained about the sprocket 45 and a similar sprocket 48 rigidly secured upon the shaft 38. Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided for varying the position of theY motor with re peet to the roller to properly adjust the tautness of the chain 47. y

The strip supplying` mechanism 21 preferably includes a pair of vertically extendinp; frame members 49 secured, as indicated at 517 to the carriage 18. A shaft 52 removably journalled between the frame members 49 serves to support a roll 53 of breaker strip material wound in the usual manner with an interposed vliner strip 54. A shaft similarly mounted in spaced relation to the shaft 52 carries a roller 50 which serves to guide the strip of material from the roll 53 and functions also as a core upon which the liner 54 is wound as it is removed from the strip 16 by a conventional separating' and guiding device diagrammatically shown at 56.

A frame 57 is secured adjacent one of its ends to a shaft 58 which is journalled between the frame members 49. Une end of the shaft 58 extends past the frame member 49 and has rigidly secured thereto an arm 61 carrying at its free end a couuterbalancing weight 62 for the frame 57. Y

A pair of guide rollers 63 are rotatably mounted in brackets 64 projecting upwardly from and integral with the body of the member 57. Guide rods 65 are rotatably mountedv in the brackets 64 directly above'the rollers lt will be observed that each rod is provided adjacent its ends with stepped shoulders 66 to aid in guiding the fabric thereunder. A pressure roller 67 is rotatably mounted adjacent the free end of the member .57 and is adapted to exert pressure upon the flut-ed roller 39 through the interposed strip of fabric 16 to cause the latter to be drawn over the several `guide rollers into position for action thereon by the roller 39 to apply it in crimped condition to the tire carcass 15.

The percentage of crimp in the breaker strip applied to the tire carcass 15 is. of course7 dependent upon the difference in peripheral speed of movement of the tire carcass and the roller 39. T he customary variable speed control (not shown) for the motor may be provided for this purpose.

A bracket 68 extending upwardly from the carriage 18 is provided with a slot 69 for the recept' in of a pin 71 extending laterally from the member 57 to limit the pivotal movementof the member 57 in one direction. A stop member 72 is provided for engagement by the arm 61 to limit the pivotal movement of the member 57 in the other direction. A stop 73 is also provided at the end of the frame 17 remote from the roller 39 to limit sliding movement of the carriage 18 on the frame.

ln practising the invention, a roll 53 of breaker strip material, wound with a lirici' stri p 54 in the usual manner. is mounted upon the shaft 52 and the end of the adhering strip and liner is passed about the roller and between the juxtaposed. rollers 74 of the guiding;- and separating device 56. The liner strip 54 is here separated from the breaker strip material and is caused to wind upon the roll 50 as it removed from the breaker strip. lt is apparent that this roller will be revolved by reason of the passage of the combined breaker strip and liner thereover. Fran. the device 56 the fabric strip is fed between the rollers 63 and the guide rods 65, between the pressure roller 67 and the fluted applying roller 39 and is directed downwardly between the latter roller and the tire carcass 15.

The above operations are to beperformed while the carriage is disposed at the limit of its movement to the right, as shown in Fig'. 1. and with the member 57 maintained in an elevated condition by its counter-weight 62 and positioned to cause the engagement of the arm 61 with the stop 72. The tire machine and the motor 44 are then operated and the speed of the latter is adjusted to cause the roller 39 to rotate at the desired speed.

The operator then depressies the arm which releases the block 3l from the shaft 23 and permits free movement of the'car riage into a position in which the roller 39 adjacent to the tire carcass 15. The arm 32 is then released and the carriage accurately positioned by manipulation of the hand wheel 26. after which the member 57 is lowered so that its weight. together with that of the counter-weight 62, becomes effective upon the strip 16 passing between the rollers 67 and the roller Vlt is to be understood that no positive feed of the fabric is permitted until the member 57 is lowered into operative position. The breaker strip 16 is stitched at intervals to the tire carcass 15 by means of the teeth of the roller 39 and, due to the difference in speed of movement of the drum and roller, the strip 16 is applied to the tire carcass in a crimped condition, as indicated at 7 5.

Although I have illustrated only one form which the invention may assume and have described in detail only a single application thereof, it will be appai'entto those slrilled in the art that it is not so-limited, but that various minor modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

l/Vhat l claim is:

l. Apparatus for applying fabric Vto moving body, including a frame, a carriage mo'vably mounted on the frame, a uted roller rotatably mounted on the carriage in position to Contact with the fabric, means on the carriage for rotating the roller, and means for supplyingand guiding fabric to the roller, said fabric supplying and guiding means including a pivoted member carrying a roller for coaction withl the iiuted roller to feed the fabric. Y

2. ln a fabric applyingapparatus an ap i plying roller formed on its exterior surface with longitudinally disposedand radially extending teeth each having a face disposed in a plane passing through the axis of the roller. n Y

3. The combination with a tire building Vmachine vincluding a cylindrical drum and means for rotating the drumat a predetermined speed, of a iiuted. roller and means *for driving the roller in coaction with the 1l. The combination with a tire building machine including a cylindrical drum and means for rotating the drum at a lpredetermined speed, of a fiuted'vroller andmeans for driving the roller in coaction with the drum at a peripheral speed greater than that of the drum.

5. rThe combination with a tire buildingV machine including a cylindrical drum and means for rotating the drumat a predetermined speed, of a frame secured adjacent? the tire buildingmachine, a carriage slidably mounted on the frame, means for moving the carriage with respect to the tire building machine, a fluted roller rotatably carried by the carriage in position to contact with the drum and means on the carriage for rotating the roller. Y

6. rl'he combination with a tire building machine including a cylindrical drum. and means for rotating the` drum at a predetermined speed, of frame secured adjacent the tire building machine, a carriage slidable on the frame, a fluted roller journalled on the carriage, means for rotating the roller at a peripheral speed greater than that of the drum, and means for supplying and which comprises simultaneously rotating the carcass and pressing the fabric into engagement with the outer periphery thereof by means of a fluted roller which is driven at a greater rate of peripheral speed than the tire carcass.

9. An apparatus for constructing fiat-built tire bands'which comprises means for'supporting and rotating the bands, and means for guiding and stitching Vfabric plies to the carcasses in crimped condition.

10. A machine for constructing flatbuilt Vtire bands comprising means for supporting and rotating the bands, a fluted stitcher roller engaging the outer periphery of the bands,

and guide mechanismoperatively associated with the stitcher roller for directing fabric plies directlybetween the fluted roller and the tire carcass, whereby to cause the plies to adhere to the carcass in crimped condition.

1l. A machine for constructing flat-built tire carcasses comprising means for supportn ing and rotating the carcasses, a stitcher mechanism associated with said means comprising a carriage mounted for radial movement toward or away from the bands, a fluted crimping roller mounted upon the carriage in position to contact with the carcasses, a presser roller contacting with the stitcher roller and means for guiding stripsof fabric between the presser roller and stitcher roller and then directly between the'tire carcasses and the stitcher roller.

172. A machine for constructing flat-built tire bands which comprises means for supporting and rotating the bands, stitcher mechanism disposed adjacent to saidmeans, the stitcher mechanism comprising a movable carriage, a iiute'd stitcher roller mounted upon the carriage in position to contact with the'tire carcasses, means for-driving the stitcher roller at a peripheral speed greater than that ofthe tire carcasses, a presser roller engaging the stitcher roller, and means mounted upon the movable carriage for supporting and supplying fabric strips to the stitcher roller.

ln witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. n

Signed at Akron, in the county of Summit, and State of Ohio, this 13th day of Deceniber, 1927.

y JESS A. SHIVELY.

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